After a democratic vote, the girls unanimously decided to cosplay as the Avengers for this year's Halloween event.
Roy was set to cosplay as Captain America, though he was secretly hoping to play Thanos this time, imagining an epic Thanos vs. Avengers showdown.
However, the girls all agreed that Thanos's "purple potato" look was just too ugly for their taste.
Too bad, because Roy was really looking forward to playfully "taking on" the female Avengers in their costumes.
Jennifer chose to cosplay as Captain Marvel, a character that, in some ways, is Marvel's answer to DC's Superman. Coincidentally, Jennifer's alternate-universe counterpart, Megan Fox, had once cosplayed as a body-painted Supergirl in another world. (That image was shared in an earlier chapter, but sadly, it got banned.)
Nidie decided to dress up as Spider-Woman, Gwen Stacy. The character had a lot in common with her—Gwen in the comics is a total academic overachiever. Plus, Spider-Woman's costume covers her face, which was perfect for someone like Nidie, who's a bit socially anxious.
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(Gwen Stacy Spider-Woman)
Ashley had initially planned to cosplay as Scarlet Witch, but at Roy's strong insistence, she switched to Black Widow. Ashley was a little puzzled by the change.
Truth is, before the Marvel movies came out, Black Widow's image wasn't exactly stellar. Her backstory as a former Soviet "Swallow" didn't sit well with American audiences, and in the comics, she was portrayed as overly flirtatious, pretty much entangled with every male character.
But once Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow hit the big screen, opinions shifted. Let's be real—people's morals tend to follow their eyes, and Scarlett's Black Widow was a total standout.
Ashley, though seven or eight years younger than Scarlett was when she played the role, still looked a bit youthful. But with some makeup, she could pull off a more mature vibe.
As for Mary, there weren't many roles left to choose from, so she ended up with Scarlet Witch. It worked out fine—Mary's figure was similar to Elizabeth Olsen's, curvy enough to rock the tight costume.
The older women couldn't join Jennifer's sorority Halloween party, but they were still excited about cosplaying. So Roy suggested they throw their own little cosplay party at home.
Roy was particularly eager to see Claire cosplay as Catwoman—she'd absolutely kill it.
"Sounds like a fun idea! Since we've got nothing going on the night of the 31st, why don't we have a little party?"
Keller was sold. It wasn't often they all got together, so missing out on a party would be a shame.
Daria, however, glanced at Roy and hesitated.
"Just us?" she asked.
Amy threw an arm around Daria with a grin.
"Hehe, what's wrong with just us? If a certain someone doesn't show up, we can have our own fun!"
She put extra emphasis on the word "fun," hinting at something more.
"You guys go ahead and start without me. I'll be back by midnight at the latest," Roy said.
He wasn't about to miss his own party. The sorority event? Just a formality.
Claire smirked and winked at Roy.
"You said it! If you're not back by midnight, you're in for our punishment."
"I won't be late! And if I am, you can punish me however you want!"
As soon as the words left his mouth, Roy caught Claire exchanging a sneaky glance with Jennifer.
Oh, they're playing that game, huh?
Claire and Jennifer were pretty tight. They'd met during the Reaper incident and kept in touch ever since.
Roy's lips curled into a subtle grin. He had his teleportation ability, so even if Jennifer and Nidie tried to stall him, he could zap right back to the villa.
Advantage: Roy.
"But let's flip it," Roy said. "If I do make it back before midnight, what's in it for me?"
Claire licked her lips seductively.
"Then you can do whatever you want with us. How's that?"
"What? Like I can't already do whatever I want with you all?"
The atmosphere in the dining room turned flirty in an instant. Young Ceci, watching the adults curiously, turned to her mom, Daria.
"Mommy, what does 'do whatever you want' mean?"
Her innocent voice shattered the playful tension. Claire looked embarrassed, and Roy quickly sat up straight, pretending nothing had happened.
"Ahem! Ceci, you'll understand when you're older," Daria said, brushing it off, though she looked a little disappointed.
"Sorry, I might not make it to the Halloween party. I've got to look after my daughter."
In America, Halloween is a big deal for kids. Beyond dressing up, there's trick-or-treating—the famous "trick or treat" tradition.
As a mom, Daria had to keep an eye on Ceci to make sure she stayed safe, especially since LA's crime rate wasn't exactly stellar lately.
Everyone nodded in understanding. Parenting comes with responsibilities and sacrifices.
Then Lilith spoke up.
"Roy, I'm afraid I can't make it to the event either."
Roy looked at her, surprised.
"You've got something going on too?"
Lilith nodded.
"Halloween is a significant time, and I'm planning to head back to Fallwater Town with Dorothy to perform that ritual."
Roy's eyes lit up with realization. He knew Lilith had gotten her hands on Ophelia and that one of her goals in finding Dorothy was to reclaim her body.
So, Lilith was likely planning to use the mystical convergence of Halloween Eve and Halloween itself to perform the ritual and take her body back.
Halloween has two parts: October 31st, Halloween Eve, originally stems from Celtic traditions as a festival of the dead. Around the 9th century, the Catholic Church designated November 1st as All Saints' Day.
Since the two holidays were so close, they eventually merged into Halloween and Halloween Eve, becoming popular worldwide.
With so many people celebrating, these days have taken on a kind of magical energy, amplifying certain rituals.
That's why dark creatures tend to grow stronger around Halloween Eve, which has kept Saltana incredibly busy.
She couldn't even make it to the Halloween event or join them for dinner at the villa tonight.
Gerald, sensing something might go down on Halloween Eve, had canceled all FEA agents' leave and planned a full deployment on October 31st to keep LA stable.
"Go ahead, and please keep an eye on my family while you're there," Roy said.
He was a bit worried about Fallwater Town during Halloween Eve. He still had plenty of family there—not just the Blacks and Lesnickis, but also women like Delasa and Isabella.
Lilith nodded.
"I will."
By now, dinner was wrapping up. Daria took Ceci to a quiet room to put her to bed.
What came next was an intense "team battle"—Roy's first time taking on a challenge of this scale.
…
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